


Cats and Voices

by AshWinterGray



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Cat, F/M, Human, Human Turned Into Cat, Protective Steve Harrington, Shy Will Byers, Talking Animals, They all need love, Things are strange
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-29
Updated: 2018-12-29
Packaged: 2019-09-29 13:20:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17204129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AshWinterGray/pseuds/AshWinterGray
Summary: It had been a plan for Will's birthday. Jonathan, Nancy, and Steve had all saved up enough money for Will to buy a new dog after the death of the Byers first dog. It had left Will devastated, and Jonathan believed this would cheer his brother up. Then there was Dustin, who still felt guilty about Mews and wanted to get his mother a second cat, third if you count the dead Mews. And even El was looking at the dogs in the kennel with longing eyes. But Steve honestly had not expected to leave with a pet. But this cat clearly needed him.





	Cats and Voices

**Author's Note:**

> Bit odd, but I've been thinking about the movie Hocus Pocus for a few days now and that may or may not (it totally did) inspire this book. 
> 
> Not really a love story, but can be seen as one I guess.

            It was Will’s birthday, and Steve may or may not have collaborated with Nancy and Jonathan to decide on a new gift. The Byers’ dog had died between 1983 and 1984 and Will had been rather attached. So now, the three teens had decided Will would be getting a new best friend for his birthday. The moment the other kids found out, they all insisted that they accompany Will on the trip.

            To add to the quest to find Will a dog, Dustin’s mother was having her birthday soon. Dustin still felt guilty about Mews, so he was planning to grace his mother with a third cat with the money he had saved up.

            So the six kids had decided to kill two birds with one stone. Honestly, Steve just assumed that they all wanted to play with animals. They were a couple towns over this time so that Jane could come along too, and they were starting their trip with dogs. The six were absolutely cooing over every dog they came across, and Steve just _knew_ El and Hopper would be getting a dog too if that look was anything to go by.

            “We’ve seen nearly every dog here,” Jonathan chuckled at his brother as they walked to the last kennel. “You’ve got to choose sometime.”

            “I know,” Will huffed. “But I want the right dog, not just any old dog. I just haven’t found that dog yet.”

            That changed the moment Will saw the limping puppy in the final kennel. Everyone saw it the moment Will’s gaze changed.

            “This poor little guy was abused,” the shelter worked told them. “We don’t know if he’ll walk properly again.”

            Joyce and Jonathan easily accepted that this would be their new housemate as Will let the dog sniff his hand before he gently stroked the dogs head. Steve gave the money to Jonathan as he and Dustin headed for the cats.

            “My mom is going to become a crazy cat lady when I leave,” Dustin grumbled as he walked into the area for cats.

            “You’re the one who wants to give her another cat,” Steve chuckled as they checked out kittens and cats of all kinds.

            Dustin had just about chosen one of three possible cats when Steve saw her.

            She was a black cat with blue eyes that seemed to just be so broken. It physically pained Steve to see the cat locked in a cage, trapped from the others. He carefully walked over to her and reached through the bars. The cat hissed at him, but it was clear she had no fight left in her.

            “That one is a sad story,” the shelter worker explained. “We found her in some dead old ladies house in a very small cage. We would have preferred that she didn’t have to stay in a cage now, but she doesn’t get along with the other cats.”

            The cat swiped at his hand, but there were no claws. The shelter worker looked ready to scold the cat, but Steve kept his fingers steady, crouching down.

            “Hey,” he whispered, not quite a coo, but still soft. “Don’t be angry. Do you want out?”

            The cat seemed hesitant, but it patted the lock with its paw, almost sadly. The shelter worker seemed nervous but undid the lock. The cat was hesitant, carefully crawling forward. It batted Steve’s hand away, but without claws. Steve did not lower his hand as he coxed the cat out of the cage, offering its freedom.

            “Come on,” he called softly. “You can come out. You just need to be nice. Come on.”

            She did finally come out, and Steve carefully pulled the cat against his chest. It buried it’s face into Steve’s arm, and Steve could feel tears. He hadn’t known cats could cry like this, but her body shook with silent sobs.

            “I’d like to adopt her,” Steve turned to the shelter worker, pulling the cat closer.

            “Are you sure,” the shelter worker asked. “She isn’t that well behaved.”

            “She’s behaving now,” Steve whispered as he ran one hand through the sobbing cat’s fur. “She just needs someone to be there. And to not be locked up.”

            Will had his puppy, Dustin had his present, Jane had chosen a big dog, and Steve was cradling his cat. The cat remained in his lap the entire drive home.

\------------------------

            Taking the cat home was interesting as she didn’t really seem up to exploring. But she was house trained, and ease to take care of for the most part. But she was odd. Sometimes the cat would just cry and shake from silent sobs. Sometimes Steve would catch the cat looking at itself in the mirror. And sometimes, though this was impossible, Steve thought he heard a voice talking to the cat. There was never anyone there though.

            And after nearly a week and a half, Steve could not think of a name for this cat.

            It was like Steve _couldn’t_ name the cat. Like there was some force stopping him from actually coming up with a name. Steve just blamed it on his terrible naming skills and continued to refer to her as “the cat”.

            Not that the cat seemed to mind either. It was always sad and broken. Or, at least, that is what it seemed like.

            “You can do this,” a voice Steve did not recognize was coming from his parents’ room as he brought the laundry upstairs. “It’s okay. You can do this. It’s fine.”

            The door was already cracked, so Steve silently pushed it open and looked around. The cat was on his mother’s dresser, sitting in front of the mirror. Its head was hung low, sad like Steve had often seen her. It was when the cat looked at her own reflection and started _talking_ that Steve froze.

            “Its fine,” the cat seemed to assure itself. “You’re just a cat now, it’ll be-”

            The cat then proceeded to catch Steve’s reflection in the mirror. The cat quickly spun around in horror before launching off the dresser and bolting for the door. Steve wasn’t entirely sure why he did it, but he flipped the contents of the laundry basket onto the floor and trapped the cat with basket.

            “No!” the cat cried, obvious fear it her voice. “Please don’t hurt me! Please! Don’t sell me! Please! Please! Please! Please!”

            She was sobbing again, this time letting the sound come past her lips as she curled into a ball under the basket.

            “Please,” her begs turned quiet, like soft whispers. “Please, I never asked for this. I never wanted to be a cat. Please. Please don’t hurt me. Don’t use me. Please.”

            And, honestly, if it hadn’t been for the last two years, Steve would have been freaking out. But the last two years had happened, and Steve was not going to hurt this cat. Or whatever she really was.

            “Okay,” he cooed softly. “Okay, I won’t hurt you. Or sell you. I promise. Okay? It’s okay.”

            The cat sniffed and lifted her head slowly. “Really?” she questioned, still shaking. “You won’t?”

            “Promise,” Steve said. “And if you knew my kids, you would know we don’t break promises.”

            Steve carefully lifted the basket and let the cat slowly pad over to him. She nestled in his arms, letting the last of her tears out before she fell asleep.

            There was absolutely no way he was telling the kids. They would just freak her out again, and she was already scared. He cradled the cat close as he went to nestle on the couch himself. He completely forgot about the clothes.

\------------------------------------

            “So you were human?” Steve asked as the cat explained things.

            The cat nodded. “I was just grabbing my necklace too,” she muttered, head low as it had been the hole time. “Some jerk I knew from school took it and threw it into the old woman’s yard. I was just going to get it when she threw open the door, cursed at me, and then I was a cat. Everyone else ran away in fear. No one ever came for me either.”

            Steve frowned at that. If her story was right, and she had been telling it for the last hour, then she had been trapped in that woman’s house for at least six months before the old woman died, and then it had been eight days of nearly starving to death before she was found. She had been a cat for nearly eight months if Steve was calculating right by adding her recorded time in the shelter.

            “Thank you,” the cat suddenly said.

            Steve blinked. “For what?”

            “Being there,” the cat laughed dryly. “Letting me stay. Not being like her.”

            Steve reached out to scratch her behind her ear, but she threw her front paws around his wrist and pressed her face into his palm. He once more felt tears as the cat’s body shook.

            “What’s your name?” Steve asked softly as he brushed the tears away. “Calling you “the cat” isn’t exactly a fitting name. So what should I call you?”

            The cat leaned into the touch, purring softly before flushing with embarrassment. “Amanda,” she sniffed. “But you can call me something else. Amanda isn’t really a cat name.”

            “Can I know your full name,” Steve pressed softly, pulling the cat against his chest. “You can me Steve, but my name is Steven Daniel Harrington.”

            “Steve,” she hummed the name out. “You’re nice. Nicer than the other boys I knew at school.” She purred again as Steve ran a hand through her fur a few times. “Amanda Harriet York.”

            Steve chuckled as the cat adjusted in his arms. “I’ll call you Mandy. Short for Amanda.”

\-------------------------

            Mandy the human cat was a bit of nerd. Though she preferred the term geek or bookworm. She had been a social outcast at school because she used to wear glasses and have her nose stuck in a book. Now, she just marveled at the fact that she could read without books. She was also his age, and extremely helpful sometimes. Especially with school. Steve honestly wished he could take her with him to school so she could talk him through things.

            It was as Steve was reading a book for English that Mandy noticed something.

            “Steve,” Mandy said calmly, pulling Steve’s attention away. “Can you read this sentence out loud.”

            She pointed to a sentence and Steve obliged, though he butchered the words a bit. But that was normal. The teachers had gotten used to it. Other students had learned not to pick on him for it when he had been king. It was normal for him. But it made Mandy frown in concentration.

            “What’s wrong?” Steve asked.

            “Have you always had this problem?” she asked, still staring at the book before turning towards a paper Steve was writing. “And your paper is all over the place.”

            It wasn’t judgmental, though it made Steve flush. It was more calculating. More concerned. She was in thought for a minute before rounding on Steve.

            “Do you ever have issues concentrating?” she practically demands.

            “Yes,” Steve nods. “All the time. Especially when I read.”

            It had become so easy to talk to her about things. Not the Upside Down, but definitely things that bothered him.

            She hummed again. “Maybe dyslexia,” she muttered thoughtfully. “Or attention deficit disorder.” She then turned to Steve thoughtfully. “Alright, let’s try some things.”

            Those “things” worked wonders. Mandy would talk him through his essays, giving him frequent breaks. She would read chapters to him at a time while he was working. And she would help him organize his homework schedule. Steve’s grades had suddenly gone up by the end of the second quarter. His English teacher pulled him aside after class one day.

            “At first,” she began, “I thought that someone else was doing your work for you. But then I compared it to your other works and it may have been a different style, but it was definitely your hand writing.”

            “Yeah,” Steve rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “An old friend is in town and was teaching me how to better organize my work. She thinks I have dyslexia or ADD.”

            The teacher blinked in surprise and seemed to mule over that thought. His English teacher nodded and dismissed Steve to lunch. Mandy was very proud of his report card when he brought it home and stayed curled around his neck for the rest of the afternoon. It was her favorite spot to nap, and Steve rather enjoyed the gentle massages the purrs brought to his neck as she slept.

\------------------------------

            He was asked to babysit Will a month after the new pets had been gotten and settled in. Which was good because he liked Will, but Steve had to double check that none of the Byers were allergic to cats. They weren’t, but Joyce was worried that Charlie would not appreciate having a cat in the house. Steve just shrugged and decided to bring Mandy anyways. She was alone enough as it was, and he couldn’t just leave her alone to cry more than she already did when he was gone.

            “Thank you, Steve,” Joyce smiled as both she and Jonathan raced out the door. “There is money on the table for food if you want. Have fun.”

            There was absolutely no way Steve was going to spend the Byers’ money. Good thing Mandy reminded him to grab his wallet. The moment the cars were gone, Mandy jumped out of Steve’s arms and wandered into the Byers house.

            “Hi there,” Will grinned as he petted the cat. “What’s your name?”

            “This is Mandy,” Steve grinned as she purred. Mandy hated purring. “She’s a sweetheart.”

            Mandy hissed at him, making Steve laugh right back. Then Charlie bounded into the room. Now, Will had done his best to fix the small puppy, and Charlie’s leg actually healed. So Steve was more than ready to lung for Mandy if necessary. But as the dog bounded for the cat, Mandy just bopped his nose with her paw. Charlie just stopped. Mandy turned towards Steve, giving a smug look that neither Will or Charlie could see. Then she sauntered into the living room.

            “She’s smart,” Will grinned as Mandy curled up on the couch.

            “She’s a little jerk,” Steve snipped as he joined Mandy on the couch. “Now. What movie are we watching this time? And please not Ghostbusters. I am begging you.”

            Will chose Star Wars, and Steve swore it was just to spite him. But he got to leave halfway through to order pizza and Mandy decided to wander the house. Steve was just about to settle on the couch again when there was a scratch at the door.

            “Charlie must want out,” Will muttered. “We are trying to potty train him. About the only thing we can’t do.”

            “I’ll do it,” Steve hummed, ruffling Will’s hair as he passed.

            What Steve was greeted with was a very dejected looking Charlie and a glaring Mandy. Steve let out poor Charlie and turned to Mandy expectantly.

            “What did you do?” Steve frowned.

            “He was about to pee in one of the bedrooms,” Mandy responded flatly. “He was a very bad dog.”

            “I forgot you were a dog person,” Steve sighed. “Honestly, Mandy, he looked like a kicked puppy.”

            “He deserved it,” Mandy quipped, standing back up and preparing to turn away. “Good dogs don’t pee in the house.”

            Mandy then had to gasp, and Steve jerked his head up. Will was staring at them both wide-eyed as he took in the two of them. Mandy was instantly behind Steve’s legs, shaking hard as she watched the younger Byers. Steve stepped forward.

            “Will-”

            “She talked,” Will pointed an accusing finger at Mandy.

            “I know, but-”

            “Mandy talked!” Will started to sound hysteric.

            “Will!” Steve grabbed the boy’s arms. “Just,” he stopped to take a deep breath. “Just sit down, let me get Charlie, and I can explain. Please just let me explain.”

            Will nodded, extremely hesitant as he walked back into the living room. With Charlie inside and pizza delivered, Steve told Will about Mandy’s fate. By the end of the conversation, Will was holding a very content Mandy against his chest with one arm as the other stroked her fur. And after much convincing and begging, Will promised to keep Mandy’s secret. Joyce and Jonathan came home late that night to find Steve sprawled and passed out on the couch. Charlie was asleep on Steve’s legs, and Will seemed content asleep on Steve’s chest. And there was just no moving any of them because even Mandy was fast asleep on Will’s back. Joyce knew they needed the sleep, they all needed sleep, so she left them there.

            Steve and Mandy left before Joyce could scold him for not using the money. And before she could pay him.

\---------------------------------

            Will started to come over sometimes, just to talk to Mandy, and Steve could tell he wanted to tell her.

            “Could we?” Will finally asked one day while Mandy napped. “Please. It just, it would just be a relief. And she might believe us too.”

            Mandy purred against Steve’s neck, and Steve nodded. He’s wanted to tell Mandy for a long time too. They told Mandy the next day, about everything that happened. She spent the rest of the day cuddling with Will and the night letting Steve cry. It was the weekend, so he got to sleep in as Mandy kept him company.

            Of course, Will was starting to spend so much time at Steve’s house that people were starting to question things. Especially the Party. Mike ended up on his doorstep, storming into the house.

            “What exactly are the two of you even doing?” Mike was beyond angry as he started. “You spend so much time together. What could you possibly be doing that he doesn’t come hang out with us anymore?”

            “Nothing,” Steve answered simply. “Though I cook, but it’s not that decent.”

            Will would call him a liar. He thought Steve was a great cook, but he rarely stayed for dinner. Mike, in the moment of right now, just glared.

            “He likes to play with Mandy,” Steve pointed to where Mandy was sitting on a table and watching them.

            “You expect me to believe that?” Mike growled.

            Will chose that moment to enter the house, looking between the three people. Steve just motioned with his head and Will was racing upstairs with Mandy in his arms.

            “He talks to her for hours,” Steve admitted as Mike watched his friend vanish upstairs with wide eyes. “Like I said, Will comes here for her. I hardly see him myself.”

            With everyone picking up on the fact that Will was constantly at Steve’s it became clear to the three people who knew that they needed to tell the others about Mandy. Even if all three of them were uncomfortable. In fact, being in Hopper’s cabin got so uncomfortable, that Mandy blurted out a joke that had everyone else freaked out, Will laughing, and Steve rushing outside because of the anxiety. It was an eventful day to say the least.

\----------------------------

            The kids being them decided they were going to find some way to bring Mandy back to her human form. Which led them on many misadventures that normally just gave Steve headaches but always ended up empty. Though she wouldn’t admit to the kids, she would always tell Steve how disappointed she was when they turned up empty.

            That was another thing about them. Mandy and Steve got close as they spilled their darkest fears, greatest secrets, and happiest moments to the other. Somedays it felt like they had done nothing but cry or laugh for days.

            The final thing that happened involved Hopper. With Mandy being a real person, Hopper looked into Amanda York and determined her case had gone cold after four months of searching. She was deemed a runaway, though her parents were insistent that wasn’t possible. In fact, every single person Mandy claimed was involved that day she was turned into a cat had claimed that Mandy ran away. Hopper managed to pull a few strings, interrogated each of the people, and wheedled the truth that the dead old lady had taken Mandy away.

            Amanda’s old friends and bully were charged for withholding evidence, and Amanda was all but declared dead when nothing else came up from the old lady. Her house had been sold and getting permission to search the place had been a pain. Nothing but the old cat cage turned up.

            Mandy cried a lot still. She would smile with the kids, but she cried when she thought no one was looking. She was good at hiding it too. Sometimes Steve would have to see the red of her eyes to find out she had been crying. Sometimes he went a whole day without catching her. Other times, he would pull her to his chest and let her blubber about how much she hated her life and wished to be back to normal.

            Steve just wanted to help.

\---------------------------

            It was late at night and Mandy hadn’t come upstairs yet, Steve found himself walking downstairs having searched everywhere upstairs. She was on the couch when he finally found her, sobbing.

            “Mandy,” Steve cooed gently. “Come on, baby. Come on. Let’s go to bed. Yeah? You just need sleep.”

            “No,” Mandy sobbed into Steve’s chest. “I need to be human. I need to go see my parents. I don’t want this.”

            “I know,” Steve cooed as he placed her on his bed. “I know baby, I know.”

            “I hate this!” Mandy screamed in such anger and sadness. It got softer each time. “I hate this! I hate this! I hate this! I hate this. I hate this. I hate this.”

            “It’s okay,” Steve cooed as he slid into the bed. “I know. It’s okay.”

            “Nobody cares,” Mandy sobbed out. “Nobody has ever cared about me.”

            “Hey,” Steve tilted her head up. “I care. I care so much.”

            Mandy sniffed.

            “Cat or human,” Steve grinned at her. “You are my girl, okay? And I care about you. I love you.”

            Mandy hiccupped slightly. “You love me.”

            Steve nodded and kissed her nose. “I love you, Mandy. You’re my girl no matter what form and I love you so much. I don’t know what kind of love yet, but I love you so much.”

            He kissed her forehead this time and then pulled her to his chest. Mandy fell asleep with slight hiccups, but she was definitely asleep. Steve fell asleep shortly after.

            When he woke up the next morning, there was definitely a human head against his chest, and his legs were slightly tangled with that of another human too. He opened his eyes and promptly fell out of bed as he took in the sight of the girl before him. The girl woke up at the sound and chastised him with a familiar voice.

            Mandy sobbed for at least an hour and a half as she remained wrapped in Steve covers and clutched onto Steve. Neither could figure out what had happened to change her back, so she slid on some of Steve’s sweat pants and one of his t-shirts and they were off to the Byers. An hour later, and with Jonathan’s cooking in both of them, there were six kids, two teens, and two adults in front of them. Steve and Mandy carefully recounted the events of yesterday. It was Dustin who “figured it out.”

            “True loves kiss!” Dustin shouted. “You kissed her and it broke the witches spell!”

            “But they aren’t in love love,” Lucas pointed out. “They love each other, yes, but I don’t think it is love love.”

            “Where in any prophecy does it say love love is the cure?” Dustin shot back. “Honestly, the whole reason Maleficent cursed the whole kingdom was so that no one who loved Aurora could kiss her awake.”

            Mandy abruptly stood up. “It is far too early in the morning for these philosophical questions and thoughts.”

            Steve couldn’t help but laugh at that.

            They went to Mandy’s parents next, and though they were overjoyed to see her again, Steve understood why Mandy felt unloved within an hour of being in the house. It was like Mandy had never left. It was almost as bad as Steve’s own parents, except the neglect was far worse. Her parents _were_ present and just pretended she wasn’t there unless it convinced them. Steve wasted no time in getting Mandy to pack a bag. They were back at Steve’s house in no time at all, and Steve was positive Mandy’s parents hadn’t even noticed them leaving.

            El made them a cake though, and Mandy laughed as El shoved frosting on Mike’s nose. It was the brightest Steve had ever heard her laugh too. And he smiled as that laugh filled the house.

**Author's Note:**

> Not really Hocus Pocus, but you know... talking cats are cool.
> 
> Talking animals are just cool in general. 
> 
> And thank you to Galaxy_Particles for clearing up that whole one-shot thing.
> 
> Why is English so confusing?


End file.
